In my U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,205 I disclosed a vastly improved surgical positioning method and system for supporting the body of a human patient in a selected position and more particularly, in a selected lateral position wherein such support is especially challenging. The information in the aforesaid patent is herein expressly incorporated by reference.
It is self-evident that the similar support and restraining of four-legged animals pose additional challenges. Cats, dogs, sheep and alpacas often require such support and restraining during a variety of medical procedures, including their transportation to and from such procedures. The procedures include radiological examinations, pre-operative preparation, surgery in a variety of positions, and post-operative recovery procedures.
A support and restraining system must, of course, primarily maintain the animal securely in any desired position. It should conserve the animal's body heat, support the animal's head and neck, conform gently to the animal's body contours, and prevent pressure sores. The system desirably should be usable by the veterinary physician in a variety of locations--in the field, in a veterinary hospital, and in the veterinary office. The system should be able to achieve emergency fracture stabilization. Practically, the system should able to be easily cleaned.
The system should be obtainable in a variety of sizes to accommodate animals ranging in size from small puppies to alpacas. The entire system, including the various sized devices and necessary accessories, should be storable and transportable in a single container.
Vacuum-activated positioning devices are, of course, well known for use with human patients. The devices typically comprise a flexible air impervious bag containing small, elastically deformable particles or beads that consolidate into a rigid mass when the bag is evacuated. They have been well known since the Sakita, U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,404, issued Oct. 2, 1973. Devices of this type are typically filled with thousands of tiny, elastically deformable, generally spherical, plastic beads. When such a device is in the soft (unevacuated) condition, the beads are free to move around so that the device can be molded to the patient's body. When air is removed (using a vacuum source), atmospheric pressure forces the beads together into a solid mass, comfortably positioning, yet immobilizing the patient in the selected position. Allowing air back into the device returns it to its initial soft condition, ready for re-use.
Heretofore, there have not been many such devices of this type available for veterinary medical use. Schroer Manufacturing Company, Kansas City, Mo. 64108, has sold such a veterinary positioning device under its Shor-Line.RTM. brand. The device, known as its "Vacu-Positioner", fails to provide a support for the animal's head and neck. It also fails to provide strap means at each of the corners to retain the animal's legs in a desired position during the relevant procedures.
Adequate and proper support for the animal's head and neck is of particular importance. It should support the head and neck in a neutral position to prevent nerve injury to the neck and fore limbs. It should support the head to prevent pressure sores on the bony portion of the head during long surgical procedures. It should support the head and neck to prevent dislodgment of the endotracheal tube utilized during general anesthesia. It should provide stabilization of the head and neck during emergency transport to prevent further neurological injury. It should prevent heat loss during general anesthesia since the majority of the animal's body heat is transmitted through the head. It should allow for secure positioning of the head and neck during maxillo-facial, oral, nasal, cranial, auricular, cervical and opthalmological surgery. It must also allow for optimal positioning of the oropharynx to prevent post-operative aspiration of gastric contents.
The principal object of the present invention is thus to provide an improved vacuum actuated surgical positioning system that can be used with veterinary patients and that will achieve compliance with the requirements above set forth.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a system that is especially adapted for use with four-legged animals.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a system that can be provided in a variety of sizes easily transported for use by the veterinary physician wherever needed.